[ Bewick et al / A General History of Quadrupeds ]
This book was first published in 1790, and consists of over 200 brief entries describing all sorts of quadrupeds, from monkeys and squirrels to dogs and camels. The title-page mentions no authors, although it does carry the statement "The Figures Engraved on Wood by Thomas Bewick." Bewick (1753 -1828) was an amateur naturalist (very accomplished when it came to birds) and a professional artist who worked exclusively with wood engravings. Bewick, in fact, is a major figure in the history of wood engraving; his innovations took the artform of woodcuts to a new level, and made wood-engraved illustrations a hugely popular artform in the early 19th Century. A General History of Quadrupeds went through numerous editions both in Britain and America, testifying to its considerable popularity; the early British editions were printed and sold for Thomas Bewick, Ralph Bielby (Bewick's partner in the engraving business), and Solomon Hodgson, an editor and bookseller. Most of the entries were in fact written by Bielby, although with considerable input from and editing by Bewick. [ more on Bewick ]
The drawing of this Dog was taken from a very fine one at Eslington, in the county of Northumberland. Its dimensions were as follow:— From its nose to the end of its tail, it measured six feet two inches; the length of its tail, one foot ten inches; from one fore foot right over its shoulders to the other, five feet seven inches; girt behind the shoulder, three feet two inches; round its head over its ears, two feet; round the upper part of its fore leg, nine inches and a half. It was web-footed, could swim extremely fast, dive with great ease, and bring up any thing from the bottom of the water. It was naturally fond of fish; and ate raw trouts, or other small fish, out of the nets. This breed of Dogs was originally brought from the country of which they bear the name, where their great strength and docility render them extremely useful to the settlers on those coasts, who use them in bringing down wood from the interior parts of the country to the seaside: three or four of them yoked to a sledge will draw two or three hundred weight of wood piled upon it, for several miles, with great ease: they are not attended by a driver, nor any person to guide them; but after having delivered their loading, they return immediately to the woods, where they are accustomed to be fed with dried fish, & The extraordinary sagacity of these Dogs, and their attachment to their masters, render them highly valuable in particular situations. During a severe storm, in the winter of 1789, a ship, belonging to Newcastle, was lost near Yarmouth; and a Newfoundland Dog alone escaped to shore, bringing in his mouth the captain's pocket-book. He landed amidst a number of people, several of whom in vain endeavoured to take it from him. The sagacious animal, as if sensible of the importance of the charge, which in all probability was delivered to him by his perishing master, at length leapt fawningly against the breast of a man, who had attracted his notice among the crowd, and delivered the book to him. The Dog immediately returned to the place where he had landed, and watched with great attention for every thing that came from the wrecked vessel, seizing them, and endeavouring to bring them to land.
The following is another instance of their great docility and strength of observation: — A gentleman walking by the side of the river Tyne, and observing, on the opposite side, a child fall into the water, gave notice to his Dog, which immediately jumped in, swam over, and catching hold of the child with its mouth, brought it safe to land. [ note ]
